“The Southern region has a wide range of economic development options available. The four different scenarios BERL modelled – forestry, horticulture, manufacturing and engineering, and education and training – build on the region’s known competitive advantages and land-based economy, and have the potential to be low carbon.

“What we found was that with greater investment, all four sectors present opportunities for greater employment and GDP beyond the business as usual outcome.

“Greater investment in forestry and wood processing, for example, could create 1,180 full-time jobs within the next 15 years, over and above business as usual growth. It could add $190 million of GDP to the Southern region economy.”